Israel shooting: Palestinian kills three at Jewish settlement near occupied West Bank

An attacker opened fire early on Tuesday at the entrance to a town outside Jerusalem, killing three Israelis and critically wounding a fourth, Israeli police and medical services said.

According to police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, the attacker apparently approached the back gate entrance of the town, hiding among Palestinian day laborers who were being checked by security forces.

Once he aroused their suspicions, the attacker pulled out a weapon and began opening fire, he said. The attacker was then shot dead by other forces at the scene.

The Magen David Adom medical service said that in addition to the three killed, a fourth Israeli was evacuated to hospital in critical condition.

Har Adar is an upscale community west of Jerusalem, on the seam line between the West Bank and Israel proper — and an unusual target in the wave of violence that Israel has been coping with over the past two years.

Since September 2015, Palestinians have killed 48 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shooting and car-ramming attacks.

During that same time, Israeli forces have killed over 255 Palestinians; Israel says most of them were attackers, others died in clashes with Israeli forces. Most of the attacks have been stabbings against security forces, primarily in the West Bank.